A Bag Full of Cats
by Unstable Vortex
Summary: A grab bag of my own personal slice of the Harry Potter universe. Will contain both vanilla world HP, as well as crossovers. These will be full of pilot chapters as well as incomplete works, that may one day become full stories. One-shots. Challenge responses. Homages. Random ideas. Anything I can think of really. All Het pairings fair game. No slash. Mostly All Harry-centric
1. Maybe Voldemort WON'T leave me alone

**This one has been sitting on my hard drive for almost two years. I found it while doing a bit of spring cleaning, and decided to post it as the first chapter in this collection of Pilots and incomplete chapters.**

**This will be my dumping ground for all of the things I write, and I'm hoping for some good critique on them. I feel that anything I post here has the potential to become a full story, and in the same way, NONE of these may become full stories. It all depends on the responses each pilot/incomplete chapter gets, as well as my personal opinions on what I wrote. Should I feel that one is worth continuing, I will do so.**

**Many of these will be old, and therefore may be slightly (or really) cliché ridden. I hope to put my own spin on things, enough so that it is overlookable.**

**I addition, I don't subscribe to many of the HP hate-boners that have erected themselves in the fandumb. That means that if you're looking for things like...say... Cartoonishly-Bad-Evil!Dumbledore or cuddly-misunderstood-kitten!Snape... well you're shit out of luck. If a story I post has an evil Dumbledore, then he certainly won't be twirling his mustache and crying, "Curses! Foiled again. Something Something Greater Good Something Something!"**

**There will be no bashing. Or at least no conscious bashing. If I feel I can't handle not bashing a character in a story then I will simply attempt to avoid them entirely, if that can be done in the context of the story. And if bashing is the main point of the story then it doesn't exist, since I almost never do that, and therefore it won't be a problem in the first place.**

**Now, the characters in each of these pieces may follow their canon personalities, but in the same vein, they may also be what some people consider OOC. If a character is OOC, then it is deliberate. A great example is Albus Dumbledore in this first pilot. I'm a great fan of "Good Is Not Soft." "_Do not mistake __kindness__ for __weakness._" When I write Albus Dumbledore, that will most likely be what he comes off as. I'm not a fan of Forgive-Everyone!Dumbledore just as much as I'm not a fan of Cartoonishly-Bad-Evil!Dumbledore.**

**And finally, this dumping ground is for me to get opinions and critique on my ideas, so that maybe, just maybe, I can turn some of these into full-fledged stories. Reviews are nice, and I suppose I do like getting them, but ":D" or "pls moar" "Awesome" (I no longer have proof, as I deleted all my old trash LONG ago from this site, but I have gotten all three of those as reviews) will not help anyone. If thats all you feel like saying, fine. But I'd like something a tad meatier than that, if you can spare the time.**

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**DISCLAIMER: I'd like to thank J.K. Rowling for giving us such an epic sandbox to mess with. She and her publishers own it all. I own nothing except any original ideas found herein. **

**This disclaimer will be posted once per story.**

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**Pilot Into:**

So now that we've gotten through all of that jazz, allow me to introduce this first pilot. The premise is quite simple. Peter Pettigrew has just escaped capture at the end of Prisoner of Azkaban, and Trelawney's prophecy is weighing on his mind. He's come to the conclusion that "Hey, maybe Voldemort ISN'T going to leave me alone." and he discusses it with his headmaster after Lupin leaves the school.

* * *

"Good-bye, then, Remus." said Dumbledore soberly. Lupin shifted the grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and a swift smile, Lupin left the office. Harry sat down in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. He heard the door close and looked up. Dumbledore was still there, "Why so miserable, Harry?" he asked quietly. "You should be very proud of yourself after last night."

Harry put his head in his hands and scrunched up his hair, before dragging his fingers across his face, "Well, the best defense teacher we've ever had walked out because another professor can't let go of a schoolyard grudge; my godfather is still on the run from the law despite being innocent; and worst of all, that bas...rat...Wormtail got away Scott-free because I convinced them not to kill him. I'm just really frustrated right now, professor."

Dumbledore was a bit startled at such a straight answer, even if he didn't show it. "Do you regret that decision Harry? Do you regret saving a man's life?"

Harry stayed silent for a time "Yes...and no." He looked at the ancient man, who had taken a seat in front of him, "I don't regret saving his life, because I doubt my father would have wanted his friends to become murderers." He huffed out a long sigh and looked at the ceiling, "And yet, he got away. He won't be rotting in Azkaban for his crimes, as I intended. He got away...without punishment." His eyes turned back to the floor as he grabbed a handful of his hair again, "And if he ever hurts anyone again...thats on my hands, professor..."

Dumbledore deflated, getting to the heart of the matter that was bothering one of his favorite students, "Harry, I'm not naïve enough to tell you that it won't happen- just as you're not naïve enough to believe me without question- but there is a chance that he's been living in remorse these past few years. There is a chance that he will remain as he was-" Dumbledore started, but was interrupted by a snort from Harry.

"I wish, it will never come true." Harry sighed. Dumbledore frowned at his student's cynicism, and went to rebuke him before Harry continued. "Not if what happened during my Divination exam comes to pass, at any rate."

Dumbledore's face fell, "Oh dear."

Harry barked out a bit of laughter, "Yeah, I read up on it a bit last night, after all the excitement died down. Professor Trelawney made a real, honest to Merlin prophecy the day of my exam. Wormtail is going to him, sir. And he will return, "Greater and more terrible than ever before," if what she said has any weight."

Dumbledore rubbed his eyes, "Well, that brings Sybll's number of actual prophecies up to two." He muttered, exasperated, "Both regarding Voldemort, in fact."

Harry nodded, "Yeah." His gaze turned sharp, "And if Voldemort does come back...Well, we both know that he won't leave well enough alone. He'll have a nice Harry shaped target pinned to his wall." He stared at his headmaster with a frightful intensity, "I've face him twice. I've faced his servants directly once as well. Every time, I nearly died. Well, almost had my soul sucked out, which is probably about the same. The only thing thats saved me is luck, sacrifices, and good friends, professor. That can't keep happening. I need to learn to defend myself, because I won't cower when that monster returns." He sucked his teeth, "Not when his mere presence destroys lives, families, and friendships."

Albus turned his own intense gaze on his student, "You will fight him then, Harry? When he returns, you will give your all to taking him down, for good this time? Are you prepared to make the sacrifices a war will call for, perhaps your own life or happiness? You're only thirteen, going on fourteen! Can you really say that you are prepared to give your all in taking him down once you're called upon?"

Harry looked away, surprised, as he had never really seen the Man that was said to be the nightmares of the Dark and Evil. That piercing gaze seemed to strip him bare. He deflated, "No, I don't suppose I am." He said sadly, "I may only be 13, but I've seen a lot. Like in first year with professor Quirrel. I may be a child, professor, but that will hardly matter to Voldemort or his servants. It won't matter whether I am prepared or not when he comes for me." He paused, and looked at his hands. "I may not be prepared to sacrifice my life or maybe even my happiness right now, but I do know one thing. I know one thing that does matter." He clenched his fists and looked up, "I won't ever run. I will stand and fight, and if I die it will not be on my knees begging for my life!"

Albus stared at him, mentally reviewing what was said along with what he knew of Voldemort's immortality. He closed his eyes mournfully, "And thats all that can be expected. I suppose, given your new-found determination, that keeping the first prophecy secret will be a wasted effort." And so he told the boy. Told him the reason that his parents had been murdered, that he had been targeted, that he was the only know survivor of the killing curse.

And bless him, that brave young man simply looked him in the eyes and said, "Then I just have to make sure I win, and that will be the end of it." Dumbledore smiled despite himself. He knew the lad had the sheer potential. His Patronus easily proved that. He just had to apply it. Perhaps, if the stars aligned, he wouldn't even have to take another Killing Curse from Voldemort.

"Professor?" Harry's voice interrupted his musing, "There is another thing I've been wondering about. About what happened a few nights ago. Well, two things really."

Albus smiled, "Of course Harry. I do love to teach, after all."

Harry grinned a bit, "Well, the first is something that I've tried to make heads of, but the more I thought about it, the more my brain started to smoke." They both shared a chuckle, "It just, okay... Part 1. You're about to have your soul sucked out by Dementors. There is currently one Harry Potter. Part 2. You have your life saved by a Patronus cast by who you think is your father. Part 3. You go back in time. There are now two Harry Potter. Part 4. You go back to watch your father appear and save your life. He doesn't appear. In fact, no one else appears. Period. Part 5. You personally cast the Patronus that saves your life. …Who the hell cast the Patronus in part 2?" Harry's eye twitched violently.

Albus's smile was frozen on his face. He opened and closed his mouth several times, sometimes raising a finger as he was about to speak, before finally just settling for, "Well, Harry, here's the thing. Take this from someone who's been around for over 160 years; No one ever said time magic had to make sense." Harry just slowly nodded his agreement. "And the other?"

"Well, that has to do with the Patronus itself."Harry said, "Professor, before that night, I had never produced a Patronus capable of even scaring away a Boggart Dementor. When it was do or die, I did. That Patronus saved us. I didn't really have time to think about it at the time, since we still needed to get Sirius out of here, but afterward, I had a lot of time to myself. Professor, as I'm sure you know, the Patronus is powered happy thoughts and happy memories. That is what professor Lupin taught me, at least. But when I cast that Patronus...well, I used the realization that I had done it before, because I had seen myself do it."

Harry shook his head in exasperation, "That isn't a happy memory. Hell, its not even a memory. What gives?" Albus was giving him a full, toothy smile. He simply interlaced his fingers and stared at Harry. "You're going to make me figure it out?"

Albus nodded, "Harry, while there are many things I could teach you, this is one that I feel you have to discover for yourself."

Harry messed up his hair again, making Albus's memory jump to another fine young man just like him, "Well, I cast it from the knowledge that I'd cast it before. That isn't a memory, or really a happy thought, if you think about it. So, what, I just made it happen through willpower?"

Albus took pity and decided to...push Harry along, "Harry, think carefully. Yo have the pieces of the puzzle, you're just not putting them together correctly. Magic is, at the same time, the simplest and most complex thing in the world. It is simply energy that we can harness, and yet at the same time it can be sentient. It can help or hinder us and our endeavors. It gives itself freely, and yet resists the undeserving. Think, Harry."

Harry stayed silent, turning his thoughts over in his head. "Cast because I knew I could cast it..." he mumbled, "Wait, I knew I could cast it, because I'd seen myself cast it. And that thought lead to my strongest Patronus ever! I was able to cast it because I was... confident in myself?" He finished incredulously.

Albus smiled, "Exactly Harry. Exactly. You KNEW you could do it. You had the confidence to simply use the spell at its full power. Harry, if YOU don't believe that you could do it, why would you ever expect it to happen?" He laughed, "If all you can think of is how hard something is, or that you can't do it, you're crushing your own potential. All that self doubt, all that FEAR...they worm into your thoughts. They prevent you from accessing your full abilities. They prevent you from moving forward. They make you mispronounce spells that require incantations and they make you perform the wrong wand movements when you need them the most. Hesitation and self doubt have destroyed more promising wizards than any self named Dark Lord."

He smiled softly, "After all, magic does not care about wrong or right or fair or things that we humans do. She just wishes to be used properly, with confidence. If you doubt yourself, if you let "Its too difficult" mar your thoughts, then your magic will fail you. Your belief, your confidence, your concentration...they're your most powerful allies. The words, the wand movements, they're just tools to help the younger children learn, in most cases. I will admit some spells require the wand movements, and some spells simply can not be cast silently, but for the most part, all it takes is practice and belief. In your sixth year at the latest, all the professors try to force you to do magic silently. They can even take points if they feel you're not putting in the effort. Aurors are trained in spells that require a simple flick, or jab, because they are the most efficient, even if they tend not to be the most powerful."

They sat in silence as Harry digested what had been said. He took out his wand, noting the fingerprints marring it's surface. He twisted and turned it over in between his fingers, before grasping it firmly. He jabbed it to the side as Albus watched in interest. A pale puff of greyish mist left the wand.

Albus was delighted, "Excellent effort Harry." He clapped, "Thats right. You can do it. Cast away that self doubt!" The wand cut through the air once more, this time, a much larger, more silvery puff escaping. "Excellent my dear boy! Simply excellent! You're nearly there. Forget about the words Harry. Do not think that you need to say the words out loud. They're irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The magic is there. Your ability is there! Now put them together!"

Harry's face was screwed up in concentration as he raised his wand over his head. Unknown to him, his eyes had started glinting, as though lit by an inner fire. With a small grunt, his wand cracked through the air.

"Excellent work, young Harry." Dumbledore breathed out his praise as he watched Prongs gallop through the space of the emptied office. "Excellent work."

He turned to the sleeping Potter, who wasn't used to such strain, and smiled, "You'll make us all proud, my dear boy. Very proud indeed."

* * *

Sirius Black was not feeling well. He'd had him in his damned hands. First, he could have killed him, and had his revenge. Then, he could have kept him, and won his freedom.

Instead, he was now on the back of a muggle boat, running from the law once again. At least he had a wand this time.

No, Sirius was not happy at all, and his Grim was making him itch to rip out that bastard's throat. But he was cut off from his murderous thoughts as a light appeared in front of him in the dead of night. His jaw dropped, and he hoarsely whispered, "Prongs?"

All was silent for a moment, and he thought he was dreaming. Then, all of a sudden, a voice spoke softly, "Hey there Padfoot." He jumped, recognizing Harry's voice. "First of all, I hope you'll be able to tell me that you're well, once you reply. Professor Dumbledore has assured me that you know this spell, so at least we have a way to communicate that can't be intercepted." Sirius grinned like a wolf. It had been so long, that he had honestly forgotten this little aspect of the Patronus charm.

His musing was cut short when Harry spoke again, "Sirius, I know you probably just left Britain, but I need your help. I need a way to practice magic and get stronger during the summer. After you and professor Lupin left the castle, I talked with professor Dumbledore. Sirius, I don't know if you realize, but Voldemort- and here I'll pause in case you need to shudder, and I'll curse you if you do-" Sirius blanched, he had indeed shivered a little bit. He would later blame the cold. "Anyway, Voldemort... doesn't exactly have both feet in the grave, if you know what I mean." This turned Sirius's blood to ice. It was news to him, "When he returns, and he will return, I will need to be prepared to stand against him. I wouldn't try to hide my head in the sand even if it were an option, and I think we both know it isn't."

Sirius growled, "Damn that bint Trelawney..."

"If Professor Dumbledore know you at all, then you probably just cursed out my Divination professor. The feeling is mutual." A laugh came, from both ends of the one-sided conversation, "Sirius. I wouldn't hide even if it were an option, so I NEED help. I know that you and professor Lupin were once two of the most powerful fighters we had against Voldemort. I want you to teach me, even if only a little. Profes- Oh have it your way then- Albus is currently breaking a few rules in my favor and teaching me how to apparate, but that won't be enough. I need to learn how to actually defend myself, and Pr-Albus simply doesn't have the time to focus on me as much as he would like. Not at my current skill level, at any rate. He's also been getting my to practice my spells silently, but it isn't all sunshine and daisies at the moment. Some spells give me trouble, even if they really shouldn't be. I need practice, and I need to know more."

Sirius was already thinking hard about what he would start teaching Harry once he got his paws on him, "But to do that, I need to practice over the summer, at least for a bit, and I need someone to teach me. Luckily, I have a godfather who happens to be a very good fighter. Fancy that." He snickered, "I know I'm asking a lot of you Sirius, but could you possibly get together with Professor Lupin and try to find some way to help me? If you agree, reply, and send one to Albus as well. He will try to help you two get a plan together."

The Patronus started disappearing, and Harry's voice, sounding much more like the child he was, said, "I hope you and Beaky are well. I miss you already..." And then it was gone.

Sirius poked the invisible Hippogriff he was resting against, "Well old boy? Fancy going to help my lost and confused godson?" A low crow put a smile on his face. In a matter of moments, his meager possessions were packed up and he had mounted his ride. "Lets go Beaky!" And with that, Buckbeak and Sirius leapt into the wild storm, no longer protected by the charms he'd laid over them.

* * *

"You can expect company today." Harry proclaimed cheerfully to his aunt and uncle after the door had closed behind him.

Immediately, Vernon and Petunia froze, while Dudley's hands went to his rump. "What was that, boy?" His walrus-sized uncle said dangerously. "What sort of nonsense are you spouting now?"

Harry grinned evilly, "Well, you see, my headmaster has a few...things...that he needs to discuss with you. He won't be long, of course. He is a very busy man, you see, but you should probably...suspend any activities you had planned for seven tonight."

Vernon puffed up, turning a bit puce, "Now see here! What kinds of lies have you been telling about upstanding people like-"

Harry snorted in interruption, "I've told him nothing Vernon. Your mind is an open book to one such as him." The two adult Dursleys paled rapidly, "So yes, as long as you've been "upstanding citizens" you have nothing to worry about. Besides, that isn't what he wants to talk to you about anyway. But I suppose you'll know tonight anyway, so I won't waste my breath." And with that, he grabbed his trunk and went upstairs.

* * *

Albus smiled pleasantly at his two hosts, sitting next to Harry. "Good evening, Vernon, Petunia. I won't take much of your time tonight, as you no doubt have things you would prefer to be doing, but some events make this conversation a necessity."

Both of the adults he was speaking to were pale, even in their fancier-than-normal clothes. "Yes of course. Is the b- is Harry in trouble at school?" Vernon asked, a smile forced on his lips.

Albus's pleasant smile didn't change, "Not at all. He is an exemplary student. Which is precisely the point of my visit. Harry has requested advanced training. Something I can not provide every day at school, and something which I can not provide now in the summer. I have many of my own duties, after all. Instead, I have taught Harry a skill a bit early. One that he will be making great use of this summer."

His smile was now, even to the Dursleys, patently saccharine. "I know full well how you treated the young boy entrusted to you- NO, don't bother denying it Vernon. Your mind is practically throwing your guilt at me. I'm not even trying to delve. You as well Petunia." The smile had vanished, "I confess myself...disappointed. I had expected better of your family, Petunia, but obviously you fall short of Lily in many respects."

Petunia turned a furious red, "How dare-"

"I dare, Petunia, because I know that Lily will be having...words...with you, once you meet again in the great beyond." His eyes were steely, and the atmosphere turned oppressive. The Dursleys began to sweat, Petunia having already turned milky white at his comment, "Obviously, Petunia, you do not have the decency to care for Lily's son the way Lily would have cared for yours. That is not something I can change, but I am getting off tangent. Young Harry is, quite unfortunately, required to spend at least some time in this household, in order to retain the protection his mother's sacrifice gifted him with. So, it is obvious, and maddeningly frustrating, that I am being forced to lay down some ground rules."

Vernon regained some of his bluster, "Now see here! You can't order me around in my own h-"

Albus cast him a look, and the man sank back into the cushions, mouth shut. "I'm afraid, Vernon, that there is not much that you can do to stop me. I will merely threaten, for now. If it were to slip to the wizarding newspapers, however, that mere muggles have mistreated one of the biggest living celebrities of our world...well, I can see you already understand." The family had turned bone-white, and were actively perspiring.

Albus clapped once, "Excellent. I see you are already agreeable. Then I shall lay down what will be the itinerary for Harry's time here in your household. When he wakes, he will be teleporting away from the house to a location I am not at liberty to announce to you. This will be at the crack of dawn, so you will not even notice him here. He will be gone for most of the day, and will return from seven to eight. A square meal will be left for him in the fridge, and then he will retire to his room to sleep or do homework. He will teleport inside his room only, so you will not have to deal with that."

He smiled pleasantly again, "If this is kept up, on his final day here- most likely the final week of July- I will arrive and pay you eight hundred British pounds." The oppressive aura had been leashed, so they were no longer as terrified. "Should your behavior be exemplary, I will increase it to nine." Pound signs appeared in their eyes, "This is part of my "Carrot and stick" offer. That is the carrot. Here is the stick; Should you harm Harry in any way, or should harm fall on him through any action you have your hand in, or should he complain that he is not getting enough to eat during the one meal he is present for; I shall turn you into a walrus, your wife into a giraffe, and your son into a hippo. I am sure you would make lovely additions to the local zoo. Should he be gravely injured, or worse, I shall have you fed to a dragon."

The Dursleys looked positively horrified. Albus picked up the previously-untouched tea and drained it quickly, "Lovely tea Petunia. Harry will not be staying for the night, and will instead be familiarizing himself with the location he will be going to each day. Good night to you two. Its been lovely seeing you again." And with that Dumbledore vanished with a tiny whisper of wind, never bothering to even uncross his legs or get up from his seat.

Harry smiled at his aunt and uncle as he got up and brushed his pants off, "Sweet dreams." And he vanished in a much louder pop.

Petunia fainted.

* * *

He met Albus only a few seconds after he had arrived himself. "Well done Harry. You're not getting dizzy after apparition any more." Harry smiled as he accepted the paper Albus offered him.

**The Headquarters of the Order of The Phoenix is located at Number 12, Grimmauld Place.**

As he finished reading, the paper burned up harmlessly in his hand, and Harry watched as the Fidelius dissolved. Grimmauld Place was as dark and black as he'd expected, from Sirius' correspondence. As they entered, a growl made itself known. Harry whirled as Padfoot bounded toward him. "Padfoot no!" It was too late, as the great big dog knocked him to the floor and started licking him mercilessly. "Damn it you lousy mutt!" He screamed like a little girl. Albus could only laugh in bemusement.

And then all of a sudden, Sirius was on top of him, "Mutt am I? Well, serves you right. Making me come to this damn house again." There was no heat in his gaze, but Harry could tell he truly was a bit uncomfortable in his old home.

"I'm sorry Sirius." He said lowly, eyes on the floor. "Sorry that I had to drag you back here."

Sirius frowned, and pulled his godson into a hug, "Don't worry about it kid. I'm not angry...just...bad memories...you know." Harry nodded, a bit tearfully to be honest, into his chest. "Don't worry! Part of what we'll be doing as for your training is defeating this damn house. We're going to turn it into something that would make my dear relative turn in their graves!" Harry laughed, and he smiled. "Plus, even if we're in the dreary old place, we'll have each other for company. And Remus as well, when he shows up. That alone makes it all the brighter!"

They grinned, "Now, what say you to starting up the next generation of marauders with getting you an animagus form?"

They vanished so quickly Albus thought they apparated away. He slowly turned away, "I heard nothing, I saw nothing, I know nothing... Minerva is going to kill me..."

* * *

And thats a wrap. Or rather, thats where I'm wrapping it. I had a tad bit more to this written, but decided to cut it due to personal reasons. Some of it was Sirius's explanation of the animagus transformation, and I wasn't sure whether or not I liked the concepts I introduced there. That was one part, and the only other one was Harry going to the Burrow and being a slightly uncharacteristic horndog around Hermione and Ginny. I could have justified it due to Sirius, but I decided that it was superfluous to a Pilot and not necessary to post here. As it is, it is fairly open ended and I'm perfectly capable of taking it in many different directions.

So, let me know what you think of it. Its about 2 years old, so its a bit outdated. I didn't change much. Let me know what you think of it, and what I would need to work on to turn this into a full story. Or if you even think it as the potential to become a full story.

As is, I will continue writing pilots. I have a whole bunch tossing and turning in my head, each begging for some time.

Probably why all I have are pilots, come to think about it.

Have a nice night, everyone.

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Oh, and do take note that if anyone wants to run with anything they find in here, they are welcome to ask for permission to do so. Likely, I will be agreeable. If I'm not, or you do not ask, then I will take action. If allowed, all I ask is that you credit the original idea to me.


	2. Wandlore and Animagi

**Good evening everyone. I have another snippet from my vault. Many of these snippets I have are shorter than the previous one I posted. I'm fairly sure that the first was the most well developed. I will be getting rid of these tinier ones first, so I can get a feel for what people think of them. I'll be posting another short one in the afternoon.**

**The concept behind this snippet was simple. If you change yourself, your wand won't necessarily match you anymore. Becoming an Animagus is one thing that can lead to something like this. **

**I have absolutely no idea where I had been going with this one. I had a "plans" document with nothing written inside of it (LOL) so I don't exactly remember which bigger story this one was part of. I have an idea, but I'm not sure.**

**Either way, I think this concept has some potential and I may roll with it, whether in it's original story (provided I remember what that was) or in another story that I think of in the future.**

**Hope everyone enjoys!**

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"Good afternoon, headmaster." Harry greeted the old man sitting behind the mahogany desk, Daphne inclining her head in greeting as well.

Dumbledore looked up from the papers on his desk, a smile pulling on his lips as he saw the two students, "Ahh Ms. Greengrass, Mr. Potter! Come in! Come in! What can I do for the two of you?"

The two took seats at the front of his desk, Harry almost unconsciously changing his chair to have a more inclined back, "Well professor, me and Daphne have been having some..." He stopped, glancing surreptitiously at the girl next to him, "problems..." He said finally, deciding that there truly was nothing to be gained from hiding the fact.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at them, amused, "Are you now? A pity that does not inform me of what exactly you need help with. Perhaps a little more information will be needed."

Harry flushed a bit, so Daphne decided to speak of it herself, "As...embarrassing as it is, our spell-work seems to have gotten a tad...sloppy." Dumbledore's eyebrow went a tad higher, and he motioned for her to continue. She pursed her lips a little, obviously as embarrassed over it as Harry was, "It is as though the spells have decided to stop working for us. You know our records headmaster-" And indeed he did. The pair sitting in front of him were the most talented students of magic that he'd seen in near a century. "-and yet spells that we used to cast perfectly seem sluggish now."

"Yes," Harry spat, the frustration getting to him, "Along with adjusting the back of this chair, I had meant to provide myself with some cushions for more comfort as well. Obviously, it didn't work."

Daphne picked up again, "Our budding attempts at wandless magic continue to go well. That area we are not having trouble with. It is our classwork, our spells." She said, almost snarling. Faint lines of gold appeared on her skin, the only sign that she was far more frustrated than her outward calm would betray.

Dumbledore smiled, "Then you already recognize the problem, but you do not know why or how to fix it. It is why you are here." They nodded at him, "If your other magics are working fine, then that only leaves?"

"Our wands," they answered, in sync. Harry's appeared in his raised hand in a whirling dervish of magic, called from the pocket dimension he kept it in. Daphne's wand appeared in a melting of shadow, her red lacquered nails contrasting against the black, almost purple wood. They both placed their wands on his desk, as he silently applauded their feats of magic.

Dumbledore picked up Daphne's wand, turning it over, balancing it, sending tiny wisps of his own magic at it and searching for any reactions. Occasionally, he muttered to himself or glanced at Daphne. After a while, he put her wand down and took up Harry's, repeating the process. When he was finished, he placed Harry's wand back and looked at the two of them carefully. He finally started chuckling, startling the two, "Well, the answer I can give you is probably what you expected. Your wands are becoming incompatible with your magics. Soon enough, they may as well become blocks of ordinary wood in your hands."

Both students winced at the confirmation. Losing one's wand, something which stayed with them each day no matter what, was a blow no matter who you were. Harry spoke, sounding down, "Which leaves the 'why' to be answered, as well as what can be done to fix it."

Dumbledore sighed, "I am afraid, Harry, that nothing can be done to fix the situation. It is a natural occurrence, when one delves as deeply into magic as we three do. Let this serve as a warning-" Dumbledore said sternly, stressing the importance of what he was about to say to the both of them, "not to delve too far, too quick. You may not like the results."

Daphne suddenly gasped, the realization striking her, "How did you know professor? We were so sure that we had accomplished it secretly!" When she said that, it clicked for Harry as well, who did not get a chance to reply before Dumbledore cut them off with a laugh.

A deep belly laugh had erupted from their headmaster, startling them both. They'd never heard him actually laugh, though his small chuckles were heard often. Dumbledore had to wipe a small tear from his eye, his mirth getting to him, "Oh you were. You two were very careful. I doubt anyone else in the castle knows that we have two new animagi." His smile turned into a almost cocky grin, "However, being me has it's privileges."

Harry snorted at that, "Of course it does. Do you know what we are?"

"No, I can not tell that much from the tests I just did, merely what caused the wands to start rejecting you." Dumbledore replied. "However, I can say that Daphne's magic has a feeling of extreme cold. I'm not too sure what to make of your own." Harry smirked at that while Daphne scowled. "But now, as we come full circle, it still stands that you two have a problem."

"Indeed." Harry murmured as he held his wand loosely. It had been one of his constant companions for over three years. Losing it was a blow, and he could sense that Daphne felt the same. "It's a shame to lose these wands. They've served us very well." He spoke sadly.

"Losing a wand always is. You feel like you are leaving a piece of yourself behind." Dumbledore said, confirming to the two of them that he'd been through more than one as well.

Daphne huffed sadly, "So we'll have to get new ones. Do you think you can arrange trips to Diagon Alley, professor?"

Dumbledore smiled humorlessly, "I'm afraid it is not that simple." Causing both students to stiffen, "The ministry outlawed buying a second wand after Voldemort's rise." He was pleased that neither student had so much as batted an eyelash at the name. "After all, what good is Priori Incantatem if a suspect can merely use a second wand for all his nefarious deeds, and keep a clean one for polite society."

Harry growled angrily, "So we're stuck? Our wands are getting more incompatible by the day, as we meld with our animagus forms. We wont be able to continue using them!"

"No." Dumbledore shook his head, "You will not. I give them three more weeks before they become

totally unresponsive."

Daphne hissed, "And if we simply break them, to prove that we have no wands it would look suspicious. Both of us at the same time? If we just go, there will be an investigation, and doing our transformations secretly would be for nothing."

"Indeed. You two seem to be stuck between rocks and hard places." Dumbledore said mildly, "So Ollivander is out, because he would be required to inform the ministry or risk losing his license. The shops in Knockturn would not aid you in the least, with their inferior and trashy products."

"But we can't simply do nothing!" Harry almost exploded at his headmaster, only just reigning himself in, "It is beginning to show in our classwork, and that would be suspicious as well. The teachers will start to notice soon! We've never been any less than exemplary in their classes! Changing that would get some raised eyebrows as well!"

Dumbledore regarded them carefully, "I must once again stress to you, do not delve too deep too quickly. It will cause further problems like this! Magic is not static! Any event that is magically significant inside your body and soul will be reflected in your magic! Especially in magic that is still growing and maturing, like in a teenager! An animagus form is only one such occurrence."

He looked at them sternly for a few moments longer, before smiling, "I'm afraid that I can not help you. I have no talent with wand-crafting myself. However, a Hogsmeade weekend is coming up, and an old friend coming to visit me would not be out of the question."

They both blinked, before twin grins slowly rose on their faces.


	3. Post-Chamber AU

**So, this one is pretty self explanatory. Basilisk venom is one of the few things capable of destroying Horcruxes. Dried venom on a fang that hadn't been attached to a living Basilisk for half a decade destroyed a Horcrux in one stab, and yet the one in Harry's scar did not get destroyed after getting a full dose from a live Basilisk and having the fang remain in his arm for a decent amount of time.**

**Yeah...no.**

**This is the oldest one on my HDD, and its all I have of it. **

**All future ones will be new, and I should start working on the sometime this week. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Harry stumbled, his vision blurring despite his glasses. It had taken all of his strength to get over to Ginny's fallen form, after he had killed the Basilisk. He collapsed to his hands and knees over her, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Sorry Ginny..." His voice was a weak whisper.

He could feel the poison from the Basilisk screeching through his body. He was right in front of her, but he couldn't even make out any features on her face. His body felt ice cold, and the pain was intensifying.

Tom was gloating somewhere behind him. He was going to win. Harry would have growled at the thought, if he could. "I wasn't quick enough." He couldn't even hear his own voice, despite saying the words.

He couldn't let Tom win. He knew he was going to die. He accepted it at this point, if only to get rid of the pain that was spiking sharply in his scar. But he couldn't let Tom win! Not like this.

He didn't know how he managed it, but he pushed himself onto his haunches, and blindly grabbed for the diary he knew was in Ginny's arms. Tearing it from her, he silently thanked the poison that was coursing through his body and numbing it. He wouldn't add to the pain with his next action. With shaking fingers, he grabbed the basilisk fang still buried in his arm and yanked. It came free with a squirt of blood. He coughed, blood dribbling between his lips.

He grinned, even as his eyes closed. "Not this time Voldemort." He fell forward, driving the fang into the diary with his body weight.

The horrified "NO!" screamed by the young Voldemort turned into a pained screech as his body started coming apart in a blast of dark, whirling magic.

At the same time, Ginny awoke with a shocked gasp. She sat up and looked around wildly, trying to get her bearings. "Harry!" She screamed as she saw the body laying next to her. "nonononono"She mumbled as she pushed him onto his back. "Don't die Harry." Tears were leaking from her eyes as she begged the boy to live again. "Please don't die." She was on top of him, trying to slap him awake. "Please, please Harry!" She moaned as she saw his eye-lids flutter slightly. "HELP!" She screamed.

Phoenix song rang out through the air as the desperate Fawkes landed next to them, tears already in his eyes. The pearly white liquid practically flowed through the wound on his arm as their healing properties got to work. Harry's chest started rising a bit more, as the poison started getting neutralized. His skin, which had been pasty white, started regaining some color.

Ginny smiled in relief, "You're going to be okay Harry! You're-"

Suddenly, his scar, which had been inflamed, burst in a shower of gore and ink black mist. The force knocked her off of her hero, even as his blackened blood covered her face. Fawkes was knocked away by the force as well, even as a horrible screeching filled the chamber. The black mist flowed out of Harry's scar, even as he arched his back and screamed in pain.

And just as suddenly, it was gone. Harry fell limp, panting and moaning as his hand reached up to his wound, which was still flowing, but red now. Ginny was furiously scrubbing at her face with her dirty robe, trying to get the goop off, when she heard his weak voice. "Gi-Ginny..."

"Harry!" Her cleaning duties forgotten immediately, she sprang towards him, furiously thanking him even as she lay kisses into his cheek. Her cheer turned into dread as she remembered, and she burst into a fresh set of tears, "I'm so sorry harry!" She sobbed into his chest, "It was me! None of this would have happened if it wasn't for me! I swear! I never meant any of it! I couldn't control myself! Tom made me!" She was practically blubbering apologies at him.

Harry's strength wasn't back yet, but he could at least wrap his arms around the distraught girl. "Shhhh" He whispered, even as the world started returning to clarity. He could see again. He could think again. "It's all right Ginny." He whispered to her, "None of it was your fault. It was all him, Ginny." His voice was getting stronger as he talked. He felt drops of liquid falling on his forehead, and focused on Fawkes, who was crying onto his bleeding scar. He smiled as his head fell sideways to look at the phoenix beside them. "You were brilliant Fawkes." He managed to reach over and scratch the bird's feathers gently, "I just wasn't quick enough..."

Fawkes trilled and took to the air, singing an uplifting victory song that gave both youngsters smiles, even through Ginny's hiccups. Harry's strength was fast-returning, and he sat up, still cradling Ginny to him. Her left arm was around his neck, so he adjusted her so she could sit comfortably on his lap, as he sat Indian-style. He slipped off his robe and pulled his cotton vest off. He gently started cleaning her face and drying her tears with it. "It'll be alright Ginny. We won." He whispered to the girl, making her smile even as her tears continued to leak. "Tom can't hurt you any more. I destroyed the diary."

"I know." She whispered. "The memory leaked back to me when he was destroyed. He was using my life to return..." She pressed herself into his chest, wrapping both arms around his neck. "You saved me, when no one else could. Thank you..." He smiled and lay his cheek on top of her head. She was rather tiny, he thought to himself with a chuckle.

She giggled suddenly, "You were the one with the great honking fang in your arm, and I'm the only one who cried." She sniffed, debating on renewing the waterworks, "How are you feeling Harry? Really?"

Harry took stock of himself, for the first time. He had been more worried about Ginny. But now, he almost shook in wonder. He touched his own face, and then watched himself crack his knuckles. He took a breath of air and looked all around the chamber. "I feel-I-I feel bloody amazing!" He exclaimed, "I can't explain it! Its as though I've had my head in a vice for my entire life, and for the first time, I'm seeing the world through my own eyes. Everything is clear!" He said with a wondrous grin. "Its like I've had a black cloud hanging over me, and its finally gone! Ginny...what happened after I passed out?"

Ginny hesitated for a bit as she gathered her thoughts, "I woke up with you next to me, and turned you over. I er..." She blushed brightly, reminding Harry of the past summer at the Weasley house, "I had a bit of a meltdown when I realized you were dead, and I climbed on top of you tried to slap you awake." The blush covered her entire face. "Er, yeah, Fawkes flew down and started crying into your wound, and it started healing. I saw you getting better, and you were breathing again. And then...well, your scar just exploded."

"It exploded? How does a scar explode?" He asked incredulously, "Though I suppose that explains the blood..." he trailed off.

She nodded, "Yeah, your blood was black. Like it was already dead and dry. But a black cloud thing flew out of it and was screeching terribly. After that, when it disappeared, it started bleeding normally. And then you woke up." They both fell silent as Harry wondered about what had come out of his scar.

Suddenly, he jerked as he realized that they should probably get back. No doubt the teachers were worried sick about them. "We'll figure it out Ginny. But right now, the teachers and Ron are probably having kittens. We need to get back." She nodded and slid of his lap. He got up and offered her his hands, which she took gratefully.

HPHPHPHPHP


End file.
